Questions: As a general rule, compounds have strong intermolecular forces, and their boiling and melting points tend to be higher than compounds of similar molecular mass.
(A) Nonpolar, nonpolar
(B) Polar, nonpolar
(C) Polar, polar
(D) Nonpolar, polar
Transcript text: As a general rule, $\qquad$ compounds have strong intermolecular forces, and their boiling and melting points tend to be higher than
$\qquad$ compounds of similar molecular mass.
(A) Nonpolar, nonpolar
(B) Polar, nonpolar
(C) Polar, polar
(D) Nonpolar, polar
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding the Question
The question is asking about the relationship between the polarity of compounds and their intermolecular forces, boiling points, and melting points. Specifically, it wants to know which type of compounds (polar or nonpolar) generally have stronger intermolecular forces and higher boiling and melting points compared to the other type of compounds with similar molecular mass.
Step 2: Analyzing Intermolecular Forces
Polar compounds have dipole-dipole interactions, which are stronger than the London dispersion forces present in nonpolar compounds. Additionally, polar compounds can also exhibit hydrogen bonding if they contain N-H, O-H, or F-H bonds, which further increases their intermolecular forces.
Step 3: Comparing Boiling and Melting Points
Due to the stronger intermolecular forces in polar compounds, they generally have higher boiling and melting points compared to nonpolar compounds of similar molecular mass. This is because more energy is required to overcome the stronger intermolecular forces in polar compounds.